Compare towns
Plainfield vs Brattleboro vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Plainfield | Brattleboro | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,522 |
12,122Highest |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.